


Only a few years

by azhureheart



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Homophobic Language, M/M, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-01
Updated: 2012-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 23:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azhureheart/pseuds/azhureheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teenage years are hard on parents. Even Grace's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only a few years

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the wonderful ellie_pierson@LJ for the beta. All remaining mistakes are mine.

“I can't, _Father_ , I'm spending the night at Tiffany’s tonight. And it's Tamara's party tomorrow, I can't miss it.”

Danny hadn't seen his daughter in a month. Grace only had “no” and “can't” in her mouth when he tried to plan her next visit at his place. His little girl was now a fifteen year old teenager and she wanted nothing to do with her _Father_. She hadn't called him Danno in months; last time had been at Christmas.

“What about tomorrow afternoon?”

“Step-Stan and Mom are taking me shopping for a new dress for the party.”

“I could take you shopping.”

Danny hated how he had to beg for time with her. He never had to when she was little. She laughed.

“You really can't, Danno.”

He sighed, _now_ she used it... to humor a silly old fool.

“Maybe next week then.”

“Yeah, talk to you next week. Bye.”

She couldn't hang up soon enough. Danny sighed again while his eyes settled on an old photograph of Grace and him at a beach barbecue with the team a few years back. They had been so happy that day. He wished they still had days like that.

“Hey.”

Danny looked up and saw Steve at the door. The pathetic face of his goof made him feel a little bit better. Steve already knew of course, he was a nosy bastard. Overprotective. Danny knew he was searching for the right words, the right idea to cheer him up and coming up empty and biting his cheek in the show of nervousness he reserved just for him.

“You're taking me to dinner tonight and you're paying.”

The choice taken from him, Steve lighted up. “Of course, Danno.”

“She said maybe next week. I can't force her to spend time with her old dad when her friends are having a party.”

“Right, at least she isn't getting tattoos like Mary was at her age.”

Danny glared; he didn't need to think about tattoos, boys and drinking. It would get better when she grew up and left the awkward and resentful teenage years. It wouldn't happen soon enough.

“For that, I'm ordering the most expensive item on the menu.”

“You always do when I'm buying,” his partner answered good-naturally.

“That, Steven, is because you forget your wallet ninety percent of the time.”

“But Danno,” he whined, “I thought what was yours was mine. You said so.”

Danny rolled his eyes but took his arm as they were walking out of the headquarters.

–*–*–

Danny had been cutting vegetables for the stew he was trying to cook for dinner when someone had knocked at the door. Steve had been busy being under his feet for half hour to assure himself he wouldn't set the kitchen on fire. He sent him to answer the door, hoping for a few minutes of calm. He had taken another potato when he heard his goof greet his daughter.

“Gracie, how are you? I'm so glad to see you. Your father is making dinner and you know how not fun he is when he is all serious in the kitchen.”

“I need to talk to my father.”

“Of course.”

Hearing the serious voice of his daughter left the kitchen to go to them. Grace looked angry. She pushed past Steve in the living room and planted herself in front of him.

“What's wrong, Monkey?”

She glared and threw a newspaper at him.

“You're what's wrong!”

Danny recoiled, hurt and surprised. He looked at the newspaper, the Honolulu Post. He didn't understand.

“Grace, don't talk to your father like that.”

“I don't have to listen to you, Steve, go make something explode that's the only thing you can do right anyway.”

Wide-eyed, Danny regretted for the first time how freely he had always spoken of Steve's affinity for mayhem.

“You don't get to talk to Steve or me like that young lady. I get that you're angry but if you don't explain calmly and politely why I won't know what you think I've done.”

“You're fucking him!” she cried pointing at Steve. “And everyone knows it! It's in the paper!”

Danny's eyes grew wide.

“Monkey, Steve and I have been together for years, you always knew, it was never a secret. I told you when we start dating, I told you when I moved in with him and I told you last month we were getting married.”

“You didn't have to tell everyone on the island you were a fag and you were marrying your boss. In the paper! It's bad enough you had to be like that why couldn't you keep it a secret?!”

Danny had never been as disappointed in his daughter as he was at that moment.

“That's enough. You don't get to talk like that here. You don't get to talk Steve without the proper respect. You'll apologize to him and to me. Then you'll give me your phone and your computer and you'll go upstairs to your room.”

“I don't live here! You can't make me and can't take my things.”

“I can and I will, Grace Williams. I'm your father and believe me, when I tell your mother what you said, she will approve and she will back me up on that. Don't think you can play us against each other this time.”

Grace crossed her arms and raised her head defiantly. Danny could see both himself and Rachel in her. They both had awful tempers when they were crossed and their daughter had inherited them.

“Apologize.”

“No.”

“That's a week without a phone and a computer.”

Horror showed on her face. “That's child abuse!”

“I assure you that's not. And if you don't apologize right now, I'm dropping you off tomorrow in a squad car. With the siren on.”

“You wouldn't.”

“Don't try me.”

Grace turned toward Steve, who had watched the scene with a blank expression. Danny didn't want to know what was going on inside his head, not right now.

“I apologize,” his daughter said grudgingly.

“Your phone and your computer. We'll call you when dinner is ready.”

She glared but she got them out of her bag and left them on the couch before going upstairs.

Steve and Danny watched her disappeared in silence. At least she didn't slam the door.

“Danno...”

Steve tried to reach him but Danny couldn't.

“Not right now Steve. I need to call Rachel. I need to finish dinner. Not right now.”

Steve looked hurt for one second before he assumed the blank mask again.

“I'll finish cooking. Go call your ex-wife.” Steve said. He looked as surprised as Danny to have said that. He sighted. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. Call her. We'll talk later.”

Danny nodded and went on the lanai to make the call.

Steve looked at the disarray in the kitchen with a heavy heart.

This had been such a nice evening. They probably would have eaten from the pans and pots what could be saved. Steve would have mocked Danny mercilessly; their well-rehearsed argument would have ended in sex. Instead, Danny was hurt and he was hurt and Danny was forced to punish his daughter the first time she had been at their house in weeks. Steve was scared and Danny was calling Rachel.

That thing about Rachel wasn't rational; it hadn't been for a few years. He shouldn't have thrown her in Danny's face like that. He had promised himself not to use it when they were arguing, it hurt too much. Danny had made his choice a long time ago; it wasn't fair of him to bring that back every time he was scared. Steve always had insecurities and it didn't help that Danny had left him once for her. She wasn't the problem this time.

For the first time, Grace was. Only she was Danny's daughter so she couldn't be a problem. Steve and their relationship were. She didn't seem to want them together anymore and Danny had once crossed a country and an ocean to follow her. He had left his entire family, his friends, his work for Gracie. If she didn't want them together, Danny would leave him. Steve knew he would.

He stopped the boiling sauce from overflowing and saved the meat from overcooking with fear deeply seated inside him.

The dinner was a somber affair. Grace had to be called three times before she came. The silence was a fourth person at the table. Steve wanted to take Danny's hand. He didn't feel he could. The Williams were too busy staring at their plates; Steve forced himself to eat a little. Finally, Danny decided to talk.

“I talked with your mother. You're spending the night here. Tomorrow after school you'll go directly to your mom's. You're housebound for a month, no movies, no mall, no going at Amber's to study and no Tiffany coming to either of the houses. You'll get your phone and your computer back after the first week.”

“That's not fair! You can't...”

“It's not up for discussion. Your mom agrees with me. What's not fair is your attitude. If you have a problem with me and Steve being together, we can talk about that.”

Steve closed his eyes a brief instant, to force the lump in his throat back. He didn't want to hear that, he really didn't. He stood up and began to clear the table. He didn't wait for Danny before going to their room for the night.

He faked sleep when the blond came to their bed a few hours later.

Steve woke up before the sun and went for a jog. Then for a swim. He wished he could have stayed out longer but there was work to consider. He needed breakfast and clothes.

In the house, the shower was already running. Grace was at the kitchen island, eating a bowl of dry cereal. She was just like her dad, Steve thought, eating what was the easiest. Long gone was the time she insisted for balanced meals, parroting her teachers about the importance of fruits and vegetables. She needed to eat something healthy before going to school.

“Grace. You want me to open you up a pineapple? A mango?”

She rolled her eyes. “I'm not ten anymore, Steve.”

He blanched and busied himself with the mixer. A smoothie, he needed to wash the fruits. It wasn't his place to worry about her. She had made that clear.

“Right. Of course.”

“Steve, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that, last night.”

“That's alright, Grace. You've the right to your opinions. It's better your dad knows them now.”

“Steve...”

“It's okay, Grace. You know your Dad would do anything for you. He loves you more than anything.”

He couldn't keep talking. He had clothes at the headquarters. He could change there.

“I need to go. Tell your dad, I'm going to work.”

Danny found Grace alone in the kitchen; Steve was nowhere to be seen. His daughter was finishing up a glass of juice.

“Did you see Steve? He should have already been back from his swim.”

“Yeah, he was there.” Grace was chewing her lip nervously. “Danno... are you and Steve breaking up?”

“No. I know you were upset last night Grace and I'm sorry some of your schoolmates used our relationship to hurt you but Steve and I love each other and we will get married.”

“That was only that stupid Terry Kaliki.” The boy she had a crush on since last September. “But Danno... I think you should tell that to Uncle Steve.”

“He already knows, Grace.” Danny could see she wasn't convinced. “What? Something else happened? Where is he anyway?”

“He went to work. I think he was really upset, Danno.”

Danny should have spoken to him last night. He knew he should have but he and Grace had needed a talk and he thought Steve understood where he stood about them and about his daughter.

“Come on, I'll drop you off and then I'll track him down before he decides to do something stupid.”

Grace was everything a deeply contrite girl should look like while they settled in the car. Danny wasn't fooled for a moment.

“I'm sorry Danno... I shouldn't have said those things. Do you think Steve will forgive me?”

“I know you're sorry. I'm sure he already has. He loves you, you know.”

“I know.” She took her most innocent face and added. “Does that mean you'll give me back my phone?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Of course I will. In a week.”

She glared at him. “That's unfair! I said I was sorry. I just said that because I was so angry. You can't punish me for that!”

“You want additional time? I can add a day or two if you want.”

“I hate you!”

She refused to look at him again and stared at the window the whole drive. Danny hoped she would grow out of this phase soon. It couldn't be much longer, two years at most, right?

–*–*–

Steve was in his office when the blond arrived. He was doing _paperwork_. That told Danny everything he needed to know. He should have talked to him last night. He was such a fuck up sometimes. And he bet Steve was ready to fall on his sword and accept their upcoming break-up to make his ungrateful little brat happy.

“We need to talk.”

Steve was so lost in his thoughts he actually jumped. He looked up and Danny recognized the resignation on his face.

“It would probably be more professional to wait until tonight.”

“And let your fret all day? Jesus, Steve do you really believe I could leave you?”

Steve was stunned.

“After everything we've been through... I asked you to marry me. And I didn't do that without some serious thoughts. I love you, you idiot! I'm not going to leave you because my teenage daughter is throwing some kind of temper-tantrum. She said Stan was a Nazi last month because he wanted her to be tutored in math, she told Rachel she was jealous and that she had missed up her life because she wouldn't raise her allowance. She was just upset because her little boyfriend is a bigot.”

“Grace has a boyfriend?!”

“She wished. And the fucker mocked her because of her gay dad.”

“You're not gay.”

“Close enough. And I love you and I'm going to marry you, so for all intent and purpose, I am. And the fucking paper had to congratulate us at the end of their article about the prostitution ring we busted last week.”

Steve let himself be maneuvered in his arms.

“I won't leave you. I promised.” Danny murmured against his ear.

“Ok.” Steve answered his voice hoarse and his arms crushing Danny.

–*–*–

_**Twelve years Later** _

“I didn't!”

“Yes you did and you were, honey.”

Grace was sitting on the couch beside her fiancé, hiding her face in her hands. Rachel was serving tea to Stan and Steve, while Danny was busy ribbing his daughter. The whole family had assembled so Grace could officially introduce Harry Pendle to them. Danny and Steve had already gone through a thorough background check on him. They hadn't found anything but an impressive record for an ADA this young. And he was transferring to Honolulu for Grace; a guy could get much better in their book.

“You must not believe them, Harry. I wasn't that horrible. I was a stupid teenager for a while; everybody was at one point or another.”

“She was, Danny isn't exaggerating,” Rachel told Harry.

“For once,” Steve said, earning himself a slap on the arm from his husband.

“Remember the time when you stole Stan's car, monkey?”

“Chin had to take you to HPD, you were so furious nobody wanted you to drive in that state.” Steve chuckled.

“Or the time Steve had to explain to the governor why his step-daughter had chained herself in front of his office.” Stan added. “That one was priceless.”

“My god, Grace, you never told me I was marrying a delinquent!” Harry laughed.

“Sixteen. I was sixteen. I'm twenty-seven. We have reached the statute of limitation, I think.”

“Well honey, I think we've earned the right to tease you.” Rachel said with humor. “And I can assure you we'll do it again when you have a teenager of your own.”

“Mom! You agreed! No talk about kids. We're not ready for it! Unless you're ready to be called granny? Is that it?”

That earned her a glare from her mom and laughter from the others. Danny leaned over Steve and whispered. “She really turned out all right.”

“Of course she did.” Steve answered with a kiss on his cheek. “She is our daughter.”


End file.
